Gov. Scott Should Help Ensure a Fair and Accurate Census Count

Groups call on the governor to work with the federal government ahead of the 2020 Census

Today, 31 national and local nonprofit organizations sent Governor Rick Scott a letter urging the state of Florida participate in the Local Update Census Address program in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau. This program aims at connecting officials in state, local and tribal council governments to the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure every person is counted in the 2020 census.

“The census is essential in ensuring every person is counted accurately, has fair political representation, and communities receive the resources they need” said Liza McClenaghan, the state chair of Common Cause Florida and a signer of the letter. “By joining this program, Gov. Scott can help ensure every Floridian is accurately counted in the 2020 census and that Florida communities can grow and become stronger.”

The Census Local Update of Census Addresses Operation (LUCA) was authorized by the Census Address List Improvement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-430).  The 2020 Decennial Census is a voluntary geographic partnership operation.  It is the only opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to review and update the Census Bureau’s Address List for residential addresses and group quarters.

Joining the LUCA program is a commonsense approach to help ensure an accurate 2020 census. According to the US Census Bureau, 85% of Florida counties and 43% of Florida cities participated in the program during the 2010 Census.

The Census has a major impact on every Florida community. Over $600 billion per year is distributed to communities across the United States based on Census data. This funding includes money for infrastructure and roads, healthcare, schools, and more. In Florida, the amount of funds distributed by the sixteen largest federal assistance, programs on basis of decennial census information totals $29,283,302,687 according to the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy.

Communities of color, immigrants, rural, and low-income Americans are especially at risk of being missed, but LUCA can help ensure that those communities — and all others — are counted accurately and community leaders have the data they need to make informed decisions

Organizations signing the letter in addition to Common Cause Florida include:

Florida Immigrant Coalition, Inc.

Mi Familia Vota Education Fund

Progress Florida Education Institute

National Council of Jewish Women

Faith in Public Life

National Congress of Black Women, Inc.

Central Florida Jobs with Justice

Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates

Hispanic Federation

Voto Latino

New Florida Majority Education Fund

Nigerian American Foundation

Florida Asian Services Center

NANAY, Inc.

NANAY, CEDC

OCA South Florida Chapter

Florida Chinese Federation

UnidosUS

Emgage

Equality Florida

FL Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

ACLU Foundation, Florida

Dream Defenders

South Florida LCLAA Chapter

Working America

Asia Trend, Inc.

Fair Elections Legal Network

FL Conservation Voters Education Fund

Asian American Federation of Florida

To view the letter, click here